Have They No Shame?

Last Thursday, the FDA announced that it has approved over-the-counter sales for “Plan B,” the morning-after pill, which is essentially a mega-dose of the drugs found in birth control pills.

Birth control pills require a doctor’s prescription because they can cause life-threatening problems for women with certain health conditions. A prescription assures that a woman buying birth control pills has been screened to make sure that these pills don’t harm her health or take her life. That is being responsible.

Making mega-doses of this drug available over-the-counter, without a prescription, is not only irresponsible; it is unconscionable!

How can anyone, especially acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach and President Bush sign off on it?

The morning-after pill is touted as a dream come true for women. At last, a woman can be as free (and as irresponsible) as a man to jump into bed with no protection against pregnancy. In the morning, she can run down to the local pharmacy, buy this little pill and pop it into her mouth. No muss, no fuss, no pregnancy!

Not so fast! There are no long-term studies to show that repeated downing of mega-doses of this drug is safe – no, not one! There are long-term studies that show that repeated downing of small doses of this drug is unsafe for many women.

This dream will turn into a nightmare for many, as it has for the families of the young women who took the abortion drug RU-486 (approved by Clinton’s FDA) and didn’t live to tell the tale.

President Bush’s motives are clear: He wants to see his friend Andy, a good ol’ boy from Texas, confirmed as FDA commissioner. Has he no shame?

Dr. von Eschenbach’s motives are clear: Sens. Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray promised to keep their hold on his nomination until Plan B was approved for over-the-counter sales. Von Eschenbach had the gall to have the FDA announced it would work out the problems with Plan B the day before his confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. When that didn’t satisfy Clinton and Murray, von Eschenbach simply ordered the FDA to approve the over-the-counter sale. Has he no shame?

Clinton and Murray’s motives are clear: They are heavily financed by the abortion lobby and walk in lock step with the nation’s pregnancy profiteers – women’s health be damned! Have they no shame?

The abortion lobby’s motives are clear: The more young people it can persuade that there are no consequences to having indiscriminate sex, the more unintended pregnancies. More unintended pregnancies means more abortions and more abortions means more money for the abortion industry.

The morning after pill is supposed to be about reducing unwanted pregnancies, but these people aren’t dumb. Young people are, well, young … and irresponsible! For years, the pregnancy profiteers have been giving kids condoms with which to have sex, knowing very well that young people forget their lunches, their homework assignments and, yes, those condoms. They also will forget to buy – or have their 18-year-old friends buy – morning after pills. Therefore, the abortion industry will profit from the FDA’s dastardly decision. Have they no shame?

America’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, has a secondary profit motive: It worked out a sweetheart deal with Barr Pharmaceuticals, Plan B’s owner, to buy Plan B at bargain-basement prices for five years. Planned Parenthood will undercut local pharmacies and clear an average of $20 profit on every sale. Yes, technically Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit organization, but have you checked the salaries (profits) of those running the organization lately? Have they no shame?

The FDA approved the over-the-counter sale of Plan B for “adults only” to make it more palatable, thus creating a duel-marketing plan. This new type of FDA approval has not been authorized by Congress. Where is the outrage from our elected representatives?

I reviewed the websites of all GOP Senate leaders (Republicans control Congress) and all GOP members of the Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (the committee that has direct oversight of the FDA), and not one of these senators has made a statement condemning this decision by the FDA. Are they all that unconcerned about women’s health or are they simply afraid of Clinton and Murray? Have they no shame?

Today millions of Americans will go about their daily chores without lifting their voices against this outrageous action by the FDA, which was supported by the president and the man he chose to safeguard the nation’s health. Are Americans that ignorant, unconcerned or simply lazy? Have they no shame?